Chapter 1: Beauty is the Beast (Part 1)

It was 31st December and as far as Devika was concerned this was the last New Year on earth for the world was coming to an end. Not that she was very serious about it; on the contrary, she gave a damn about the world around her. An aspiring model, she left home at the age of 17 and came to Mumbai to try her luck in the industry. Four years passed since; several ramp walks, fashion shows, print and television advertisements later, she was now about to be the winner in the upcoming Fabulous Face Beauty Contest where she would compete with aspiring models from all over the world. She had made sure she left no stone unturned in making her progress and eventual victory certain. For, all it needed was giving her much sought company to a few men who were in control and managed the internal goings-on in the glamour industry.

Much to her aversion, the world-famous fashion designer, 45-year-old Siddharth Saxena, sought her company on the evening of the 31^st night. Post lunch, he took her to a 5-star hotel, booked a honeymoon suite, and made her satisfy his carnal cravings. Devika was not fond of him, but nevertheless fulfilled his pervert wishes only because he was one of the important judges in the beauty pageant. She was in no mood to spend the day with him for she had already promised her friends she would be with them till late night and celebrate.

When Siddharth finally dropped Devika at the corner of a deserted street, she heaved a sigh of relief. She kissed him goodbye, promised to see him again soon, and quickly turned her back to leave. As she heard the noise of Siddharth’s car fading away, she cursed him and glanced at her watch. It was already 8 PM. She was supposed to be with her friends at a nearby night-club. Her phone rang suddenly and she received the call while half running.

“Hello... yeah, yeah, I’m so sorry... Oh, don’t ask... I’ll be there in five minutes... Five minutes, I promise... Yes, see ya!”

She hastily grabbed her handbag and groped for something inside but could not find it.

“Oh no, come on...” she mumbled.

She noticed that the road was rather deserted and a distant disco music could be heard. She finally found a lipstick and applied it on her lips while still searching for something in her bag.

“Where the hell is the mirror?”

Suddenly, she paused. She turned back quickly. But there was no one. She could have sworn she heard someone behind her.

She put the lipstick back in her bag and began walking. She ran her fingers through her hair as she walked confidently towards the night club. She needed a drink now. She also smiled as she walked in practise of the fake smile she needed to put up once she was in company.

But her smile disappeared and she halted abruptly at the sound she heard. It was a strange sucking noise and it came from directly behind her back. She cautiously took out the pepper spray from her bag and turned back like a bolt of lightning. At what she saw, her bag and pepper spray both fell from her hands.

[TO BE CONTINUED...]

What happens next? Read Part 2 here: http://slavestheseries.blogspot.com/2011/12/beauty-is-beast-part-2.html